Today is the most important of all holidays, especially with the reboot of the Star Wars saga this past Christmas. And if you didn’t know, Disney plans to release a new Star Wars film every December through 2019! I saw a tweet about this from YA author Victoria Aveyard:

“Mother, tell me what Christmas season was like?”

“We don’t speak of it. We call it Star Wars season now.”

Instead of Merry Christmas, it’s May the Force Be With You.

Hahaha! Of course, we’re being facetious. But to celebrate today, I’m teaching the Hero’s Journey to my eighth grade English students since Luke’s journey is one of the most famous examples. I thought it might help you with your story to see the specific plot points that conform to the structure.

The Call: Luke Skywalker receives the message from the Droid R2D2 that princess Leia is in trouble. He sets off to find Obi Wan Kenobi.
The Decision: Luke finds Obi Wan and learns of his Destiny. Luke’s decision is rendered irrevocable when his uncle and aunt are killed and his home is burned.
The Preparation: Luke sets off to aid the rebellion. Along the way, he gathers a crew of companions and learns the ways of the Force from his mentor Master Yoda. The concept of a Mentor is a reoccurring motif in the Hero’s Journey.
The Obstacles: Most of the second and third movies show intermediary steps that Luke must accomplish in order to become strong enough to defeat the Emperor. Along the way, he encounters a “Shadow,” an evil figure that mirrors those things the hero most fears or dislikes about himself. In Luke’s case, that “Shadow” is Darth Vader. During “The Obstacles” portion of the story, Luke is separated from his friends and forced to face the ultimate evil alone.
The Climax: Luke faces the “Shadow” and is able to overcome the Emperor without falling to the “Dark Side.”
The Return: Having overcome the enemies and returned peace to the galaxy, the major characters are reunited. Luke returns to his friends a changed man ready to move forward. In the final scene, Luke sees the ghosts of his fallen mentors Obi Wan, Yoda, and (in the remastered version) Anakin Skywalker, his father. In the final shot, Luke turns his back on the ghosts and returns to his friends.

Are you celebrating May the Fourth Be With You? If so, do share! 

This has been a post for the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, the brainchild of Head Ninja, Alex J. Cavanaugh. Feel free to join us the first Wednesday of every month! Purpose: To share and encourage.